This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention that is recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims provided herein and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
The Internet has recently become a popular means to broadcast video. For example, the assignee of the present application provides digital feeds of sporting events over the Internet with a service known as MLB.TV. Through this service, video of sporting events is digitally encoded and transmitted through the Internet to various client devices. The video is then rendered on displays associated with the client devices for a user to enjoy.
The video is typically supplemented with audio. Such audio generally takes the form of play-by-play commentary, but can also include analysis, statistics, lineups, injury reports, advertisements, and the like. Similar to the video, the audio is transmitted through the Internet to client devices and presented via speakers associated with the client devices.
For any single sporting event, there can be multiple versions of audio and multiple versions of video. For example, in a typical New York Yankees vs. Boston Red Sox broadcast, there may be a local television broadcast for the New York Metropolis, a local television broadcast for the Boston Metropolis, and a national television broadcast for the entire country. Moreover, there may be a radio broadcast directed to the New York Metropolis, a radio broadcast directed to the Boston Metropolis, and radio broadcast for the entire country. In addition, there can be an audio broadcast in another language, such as Spanish.
MLB.TV allows users of its service to enjoy each of these audio and video broadcasts via the Internet. For example, a Boston Red Sox fan using MLB.TV can initially watch the television broadcast directed to the Boston Metropolis and subsequently switch to the broadcast directed to the New York Metropolis. The Red Sox fan may switch broadcasts because, for example, the New York broadcast may have a better viewing angle or better picture quality. The Red Sox fan, however, may not be pleased with the associated audio provided by broadcasters who regularly cover the Yankees. That is, while the Red Sox fan may appreciate the better camera angle and picture quality, the Red Sox fan may not appreciate the associated commentary favoring or focusing on the Yankees.
It would be advantageous, therefore, to provide an audio/video delivery system that allows a user to switch between different audio streams while maintaining a single video stream. Moreover, it would be advantageous to enable such switching in a seamless manner that does not negatively impact the viewing experience.